The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-21
IMPORTANT DECISIONS.
THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION
RENDERS JUDGMENTS.
The Most Important Was That In
Relation 10 the Payment
Of Commissions
BY ONE ROAD TO THE AGENTS
OF ANOTHER.
This Grew Out Of Fights Between
Seaboard Trunk Lines about
Through Tickets.


WASHINGTON, July 20.-Thrse de-
cisions were rendered by The Inter
state Commerce Commission todsy.
The most important was the one In
relation to the payment OF commits
sions by one road to the agents OF an
other aud connecting rosds for the
sales Of through tickets. The points
In dispute grew ont Of the Commission
and anti. Commission fight between
the seabord trunk linss and some Of
their Western connections. The fol.
lowing three cases were disposed OF
in the one opinion:
The Chicago and Alton Railroad
Company sgsinst the Pennsylvania
Company; the same against the Penn.
sylvania Railroad Company the Obi.
caeo, Rock Island and Pacific Com.
pany against the New York Central
and Hudson River Railroad Company.
The following synopsis contains the
more important points II the opinion,
which Ia very long:
The complaints In these cases are
founded upon the third section OF the
act TO regulate commerce, and charge
violations Of that section by the de-
PENDANT companies In refusing certain
facilities for receiving, forwarding and
delivering passeugers TO complainantt
linee, consisting OF through or coupon
tickets, which being afforded 10 Other
and competing companies, give, the
complaint alleges, undue preference
90 those companies. The m terra
facts found by the commission are 70
cited at length In the opinion. Tie,
show that for several years prior {;
the time when the act 10 regulate
commerce took effect, substantially al
the railroad companies Of the country
including the clmplainants and d.
fendants, paid commissions. The de
PENDANT company and some Others, 10
about two years, have made earnes
efforts TO abate the practice OF psyin
commissions.
About q month before the act :
regulate commerce became operativ
the defendant companies took steps :
procure agreements with their con
Meeting companies 10 abolish the com
mission business altogether. Wit
this end In view they sent printed eli
culars, on or about the 10Th OF Marc
last, to their connecting companies
expressing their willingness TO cor
tinue 10 act @ agents In the Eale {
through tickets, and stating the natul
OF the sgreement. The circular oil th
defendant companies contained q col
dition prohibiting the payment
commissions by other companies
Its agents.
The com plairan companies refuse
10 enter into the agreement pi opose'
On account Of their refusal the d
/ fendants, after the 4th OF April lat
refused 10 sell through tickets over u
complainauts' roads from Chicago o.
st. Louis TO Kansas City, ard btill ?
fuse tolely for thoee reasons.
Ga these facts the complaints av
that the defendants refuse 10 shol
them reasonable, proper and equal
cilities for receiving, forwarding a.
delivering passeneefe, and give unr'
, prefer ence to competing roads In co
travention Of the provisions OF the Q
10 regulate commerce.
The defendants deny that they ha
violated the provisions of the sct, Al
claim that they have the txclusi
right 20 control their agent, TO hx I
' amount OF their compensation and
' pay themselves; that the payment
y commissions by other companies
. demoralislng 10 their agents, and oft
y leads TO discrimir atoms 10 paseeng'
y for roads paying lager commission
y by division OF the commission betwe
the agent and the passenger; y
commissions consums a consideral
e percentage of the revenue from :,
sails OF through tickets; that witht
, commissions all CONNIE citing roads sta
on basis Of equality, aud psssene
- select their own routes unininent
4 by SCENTS having an interest In
] form Of commissions In pefsuad
them 10 choose some particular roc
The ofiensee RI which The Conn
sion has cogniEance are anything do
or omitted TO to done In contrav
tion ef the provisions Of the acl
rtgu' ate iD,eretate commerce.
Railroad corporations In the Sta
are creators OF the State governme
and their powers aud duties ere
70 hned by thelf charters or by gene
"a laws. .
- The act Foes not mske Il the d
OF State railroads 10 organize
operate through lines OF transpo
~ ton consisting Of separate roads owl
% by different companies The organ
= ton Of euch lines 10 left under the
70 Of voluntary action Of railroad c.
panies, an Il excited previously.
Ut i,The Law In this instance does no
, terms require one railroad compan.
, cell through tickets over the ron'
: another abroad company. -.
In the absence Of statutory autl
ity ons railroad company can only
ks tickets and check baggage over